Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Destiny's Chains ❯ Demons ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3

Demons

 

The next day, a routine was followed that couldn't be helped. And Hiei did not like it one bit. Darkfire was out of the house constantly, running errands with her family and such. Not something she wanted to be doing, but she enjoyed the time out.

Osadyro never really spent time with her father anymore, so she contented herself with being outside. She knew if Shuichii or his friends needed her, it would be easy to find her. With Hiei being a demon and a telepath, she wasn't too worried. And Darkfire and Angel knew where she'd be.

Angel was stuck at home, cleaning house and other such chores. Even with his younger sister and Yuusuke helping, there was still a lot to be done. And his stepfather was out, so they couldn't leave anyway. But it was just as best because they wouldn't have been able to do anything.

Sunday, however, nobody was doing anything. So Darkfire, Angel, and Osadyro met up at the school's parking lot. Of course, Yuusuke and Hiei were there with them. Soon, though, Shuichii and Kuwabara showed up.

“Good ta go,” Darkfire said, staring blankly off into space.

Yuusuke snapped his fingers in front of her face and she blinked back to reality.

“Hey, what sort of criminals are we goin' after?” Osadyro inquired, raising an eyebrow suspiciously.

“To be honest, we weren't completely telling the truth,” Shuichii confessed, smile fading. “We work for the underworld hunting demons. My name is really Kurama.”

“Any other secrets we should know about?” Angel growled.

“If we come across one, we'll let ya know,” Yuusuke answered.

“Well, I can't trust liars. I'm out,” Angel sniffed, turning on his heels.

“Please, you mustn't leave,” Kurama said, stepping towards the boy.

“And why's that?”

“Yes, fox, why are these humans so vital to the Reikai?” Hiei questioned.

“Darkfire, Osadyro, what do you know about demons?” Kurama asked, turning to them.

“They ain't all mean. And there're diff'rent types,” Darkfire answered.

“Most originate and live in the Demon World. Though there are those that dwell amongst humans,” Osadyro added, chancing a glance at Hiei.

“And there're diff'rent classes of demons. Also there are demons that are less than full. Hybrids exist too,” listed Darkfire, counting them on her fingers. “And they range in size, shape, color, and other such. Have we forgotten anything?”

“Yes. Some demons will kill you if you know too much,” Hiei growled, glaring at the two females.

“I bet you fall into that class, doncha, Hiei?” Osadyro challenged, smirking.

Before Hiei could prove it, Kurama stepped between them. “Please, we must work as a team.” He cleaned his throat. “Angel, would you protect these girls with your life? Would you honestly leave them here with us?”

Angel looked away from him and glared at the ground. His face flushed slightly, but he looked into Kurama's eyes and growled, “I couldn't give two licks `bout what happens to Darkfire, but I won't let them go alone.”

For a moment, Darkfire's heart stopped. And as it began to beat again, the chain that bound her heart to him tightened and chipped away at her heart. But she held back the tears and let her emotions fade into shadow.

“Apart, you three have no power. But together, you are bound too tight to let anything happen to one another,” the red-head finished.

“That still doesn't answer my question,” Hiei persisted.

“Koenma thinks they're special, and that's all he'd tell me,” Yuusuke said.

“Yea, they give me a weird feeling…but in a good way. I can't explain it,” Kuwabara added, furrowing his eyebrows as though in deep thought.

All became silent and grim faces hung all around. And it stayed as such for a moment.

“Feels like somebody just died. Let's get on with it,” Darkfire muttered, growing uncomfortable.

“Right. Yuusuke, is the portal ready?” Kurama turned to the brown-eyed boy.

“Yea, just waitin' for us.”

“Let's go then.” Kurama followed Yuusuke and the other five followed shortly after.

“Hey, you ok?” Kuwabara asked, touching Darkfire's shoulder.

She looked up at him with a lifeless stare and then let her head drift back to staring at the ground, a mumble escaping her lips.

“D…” Osadyro whispered, knowing what she was feeling. She glared at Angel, who had a lost look on his face. “Always gotta make `er feel bad, huh, Angel.”

He looked over at her. “What?”

“Sayin' you didn't care `bout her. She'd die for you, though I don't see why. Ain't like you deserve it.”

Angel just sighed and picked up the pace so he was beside Kurama. Darkfire looked up at him, but she didn't see him. She looked straight through him.

“Her emotions are so guarded,” Hiei thought, glancing at Darkfire every now and then. “Almost more guarded than mine.”

“Well, here we are,” Yuusuke announced, stopping.

“Where?” Osadyro asked, looking around.

“The portal. It's invisible to normal humans. This will take us to the demons.”

“Are you ready?” Kurama asked for a final time.

Angel and Osadyro nodded. Darkfire remained in her hurt trance.

Satisfied, Kurama stepped through. Then Yuusuke, Osadyro, Angel, and Kuwabara. Hiei paused when Darkfire made no movement.

“Let's go,” Hiei commanded. When she still didn't move, he grabbed her arm. She looked at him with that far away stare. “Don't worry about what that guy said. C'mon.”

“I would still give up my life so that he may have a second chance,” she muttered.

“It doesn't matter. Let's go.” He let his hand slip down to hers and he tugged gently.

Darkfire stared at their hands. A boy had never willingly held her hand before. But she snapped back to reality and pulled her hand from him, holding it to her chest.

“Ok, let's go,” she said, nodding firmly. Together, they walked into the portal. As soon as Darkfire felt her stomach jump, as it might on a roller coaster, she clung to Hiei tightly. She hated coasters. But more, she hated that feeling in her gut.

As soon as they were out, though, they separated quickly.

“What was the hold up?” Yuusuke asked.

When Hiei didn't answer, Darkfire said, “He had to drag me in.”

Shrugging, the boy walked on, his posse in tow.

They walked for what seemed like forever before they came upon a lush forest.

“It's in there,” Kurama hissed, covering his nose with the back of his hand.

“So much blood,” Hiei muttered, his eyes dancing with forgotten excitement.

“Kurama…what sort of demon are you?” Darkfire asked, staring not at him but deep into the forest, at places she could not physically see.

“Why do you ask that?” he laughed, eyes resting gently on her.

“Yes, D, what are you talkin' `bout?” Osadyro questioned, looking up at the red-head.

“He can smell what I cannot. Kurama, you can smell the stench of blood in the air. Something a human can't do,” Darkfire explained, still staring into the black woods.

“You're very smart. I'm a fox demon.” And then he added, “What are you looking at?”

“I don't know. Somethin's in there, I can feel it. And it knows we're here.”

“I feel it too,” Kuwabara said, orange energy jumping in his right hand.

Osadyro gasped. “Jump back!”

“What? Why?” Yuusuke questioned.

“Just do it! Now!!” she screamed, jumping away as several trees came crashing down. Yuusuke and Kurama grabbed Angel as they moved, and Hiei pulled at Darkfire, but she didn't budge. So he left her.

“Darkfire!!” Kuwabara yelled, Yuusuke restraining him as he tried to go after her.

“Wait, ya dumb oaf!” growled Yuusuke, forcing the taller boy to the ground.

“NO!! D!!” Osadyro screamed, thrashing in Kurama's grasp.

As the dust settled, all became still.

“She's…still alive…” Hiei gasped, stumbling in shock.

“What?” Angel said, unbelieving.

“She merely stepped forward…to avoid…the trees. How could she have anticipated where they would fall?”

“The demon!” Yuusuke shouted, pointing to a lumbering giant.

“Darkfire'll be killed!” Osadyro shouted, struggling again. This time, she managed to break loose.

“Osadyro!” Kurama called, grabbing after her. But it was in vain. She was already stumbling over and through the fallen trees.

“Damn girl,” Angel hissed, running after her.

“Kuwabara, help them! We'll take care of the demon!” Yuusuke ordered, pointing his right hand at the demon in the shape of a gun.

Kuwabara nodded and headed after the three that had gone off.

Yuusuke's finger began to gather a bluish glow about it. “Rei Gan!” he shouted. A blue energy shot from his finger and spiraled towards the demon's head. Hitting dead on, the demon stumbled and howled in pain.

“Rose Whip!” Kurama shouted, pulling a rose out of his hair as he jumped. He flicked the rose and it became a thorny whip. Slashing at the demon, blood sprayed and limbs fell off the demon.

As a finishing touch, Hiei leapt at the demon. He drew his katana, sliced the demon's head off, flicked the katana, the blood flying off, and sheathed it, all in lightning fast speed. To a normal human, it merely looked as though he leapt right passed it and its head fell off.

Soon as he landed, though, he rushed to the others to see Darkfire.

“How did you know?” he questioned angrily, grabbing and thrusting the girl against a fallen tree.

“Hiei!” Kuwabara growled.

But he was ignored.

“Know what?” Darkfire asked, trying to shift away from the demon. But this only caused him to grip her tighter.

“About the trees. How did you know where to move?”

When she didn't answer after a few moments, he gripped her throat.

“I don't care how important you are, I will kill you if you don't answer,” Hiei threatened, releasing slightly so she could speak.

“If I'd stood still or jumped back, I would've been crushed,” Darkfire snarled. “I stepped forward to live.”

“You didn't answer me!”

“Hiei, leave her be,” Kurama frowned, standing on the top of the tree.

“I want an answer.” He glared into Darkfire's deep brown eyes. He tried to read her thoughts, but there were none to read.

“I don't know. My heart said move, so I moved. Call it instinct if you want. Now, release me,” Darkfire hissed, glaring. It was even harder to see the pupils of her eyes now.

Hiei let go of her throat, but he wouldn't let her move. Growing angry, she tried to kick him. But since he's a telepath, it didn't work. He moved quickly, somehow forcing her face down into the ground. There, he pinned her.

Darkfire gasped.

“Please, leave her alone,” Osadyro said, staring at Hiei. She didn't know what else to do or say. As though every reaction she would ever use was forgotten.

“How did you know we needed to move? It was a good thirty seconds before the trees began to fall,” Hiei said, not looking at her.

“I felt it,” she answered simply, truthfully.

Hiei released Darkfire, stood, and stalked off. But the girl just lay there.

“Darkfire,” Yuusuke began, touching her arm, “c'mon.” He pulled her to her feet. “You ok?”

“Yea, fine,” she answered distractedly.

Kurama slipped from sight and mind and followed the short demon.

“What was that all about?” he questioned.

Hiei stopped and stared at the ground. “I just can't figure out what use they are.”